Ice hockey sticks have been developing for decades as various attempts have been made to reconcile certain requirements of the ice hockey player with the requirement for added strength.
A player requires a stick which is light and well balanced and with proper flexibility. The stick must have the proper "feel" to the player.
For many years ash was the preferred wood for hockey stick construction. Ash met a number of the required criteria.
Over the years problems have arisen in the availability of supply and cost of ash. Furthermore, while a strong wood, ash is nonetheless subject to breakage due to the extremely high stresses placed on hockey sticks by hockey players.
Over the years many attempts have been made to modify hockey sticks to alleviate the breakage problem while still meeting the remaining criteria. Wide use has been made, for example, of fiberglass strips and hardwood veneers for this purpose.
While the various developments have led to notable improvements in hockey sticks over the years, the breakage problem is still substantial.
It is against this background that the present invention arises.